Date for Productivity Commission report changed

Publication of the forthcoming Productivity Commission report into tertiary education has been delayed.

The report had been due to be released to the public on 28 February, but the commission’s website has been changed to say that the government will look at the report first.

The final report will be sent to ministers by the end of February with no indication of when it will be available to the public.

Sandra Grey, TEU national president, said it was strange that the Commission has decided at the last minute to make the report available to the government before the public.

“Last week the commission’s website said the report would be published on 28 February, now it says it will made available only to the government by the end of the month. It is not clear why this change has been made so late in the day. The previous minister said the Commission’s report would form the basis of a future tertiary education strategy. It is crucial there is clarity over exactly when it will be available to the public,” Grey said.

The TEU had organised two public forums in Auckland and Wellington to critique the commission’s findings. In the wake of changes to the scheduled publication of the report, these forums will be rescheduled with full details to be announced shortly.